In Our Formal Wear
by Lyn Black
Summary: After Willow comes back from England, Buffy invites her, Xander and Dawn to a fancy restaurant. What happens when Willow and Xander are in their "formal wear" again?
1. Chapter One: The Restaurant

D/C: I don't own any of the characters, okay?!  
  
A/N: I don't know what Willow's favorite restaurant is, so I'm just gonna throw one up in the air, okay?  
  
  
  
Summary: After Willow comes back from England, Buffy invites her, Xander and Dawn to a fancy restaurant. What happens when Willow and Xander are in their "formal wear" again?  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's a good thing I realized I'm a lesbian, 'cause here we are, in our formal wear," Willow said, chatting with Xander. That was almost a year ago. What if it happens again?  
  
  
  
Buffy's POV  
  
"I need to make it up to you for not being there when you got off the plane, so we're taking you out to dinner," I said, mentioning the day before.  
  
"It's okay, Buff, we didn't realize we were in some weird state-of-mind. In fact, it's forgotten," Willow reassured me.  
  
"But I wanted to take you to your favorite restaurant. I don't think they have many fancy restaurants in the English countryside-" I was interrupted.  
  
"You haven't been there, Buffy, so you wouldn't know," Giles said, inviting himself in.  
  
"Giles!" I exclaimed, running up to give him a hug. He returned it.  
  
"I came as quick as I could. Did you find Will..." he trailed, looking to my left and saw her.  
  
"What happened?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing. Something tried to eat my skin while I was still alive, is all," Willow muttered.  
  
"I'm going to pretend you didn't tell me that," he replied.  
  
"Would you like to join us for dinner? We're going to go to a really fancy place..." I begged.  
  
"Why not?" he answered. "A full day of council meetings ought to qualify for a break."  
  
***********  
  
Narrator's POV  
  
"I was going to give you the cheesy line again, but I don't know how it qualifies here," Willow said, slipping into a sleeveless black floor-length dress with a scoop neck.  
  
"Which one?" Xander asked, tying a long black tie.  
  
" 'Here we are in our formal wear'? That ring a bell?" she asked, searching in her suitcase for a pair of black pumps.  
  
"Forget I asked," he answered.  
  
Willow sighed.  
  
"You guys ready?" Buffy called from downstairs.  
  
"Be down in a minute!" Willow called down.  
  
"Here they are!" she said, emerging from her suitcase with the shoes. She sat on the bed, pulling the skirt of the dress up to put them on.  
  
***********  
  
The night was enjoyable from the very begining.  
  
Dawn was wearing a summery dress, sleeveless, lavender, and knee-length. Buffy was wearing a dress, burgundy with short, slightly poofy sleeves, stopping at her knees. Giles found one of his suits, and was messing with his tie when they got to the restauraunt.  
  
They ordered their meals and sat back in amiable chatter while they waited for it. Giles sipped a brandy, Dawn fidgeted with her silverware and drank a non-alcoholic daquiri. Willow was talking about a member of the coven back in England, while Xander played with his tie. Buffy chatted mindlessly with everyone, mostly Willow and Giles though.  
  
The food arrived. Giles had a plate of penne pasta with a cheese sauce, Dawn had a bowl of spaghetti, Willow with linguine and a delicious smelling sauce. Buffy had a craving for fish, and everyone stared at Xander as he ordered escargots.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Forget it."  
  
"I didn't say anything."  
  
"Well, it was the only thing I could pronounce that I hadn't tried before," Xander shot back.  
  
Finally the food arrived. Willow, Dawn, Giles and Buffy sat, forks poised in air, waiting for Xander to eat the garlicky meal. He speared one onto his fork and raised it to his mouth. The round gray substance dissapeared into his mouth as his mouth moved up and down. At last he opened his mouth.  
  
"So, how is it?" Giles dared to ask.  
  
"A little strong, maybe, but pretty good," he replied.  
  
"Strong my ass," Buffy muttered.  
  
"What was that?" Xander asked.  
  
"I said, 'try my bass'," she saved, glancing at her plate.  
  
"No thanks," he replied.  
  
One by one, everyone started into their food. Later on, without fail, they broke it to Xander.  
  
"How was everything?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Great."  
  
"Exellent."  
  
"Terriffic."  
  
"Never better."  
  
"Well, should I tell him, or will you?" Dawn asked Giles.  
  
"Wait a moment. Buffy, do you have your camera with you?" he asked.  
  
"I think so," she replied, reaching down into her purse, pulling numerous items out, including a stake, a talisman Giles gave her, a cross necklace, a pint of holy water, and other slaying materials.  
  
"Got it!" she cried, emerging with a disposable camera.  
  
Giles took it and aimed it at Xander.  
  
"I hate to break it to ya, Xander, but you just ate fried snails," Dawn laughed.  
  
Xander exploded, half of his meal spewed onto the now empty plate.  
  
"Snails?" he asked, putting on an awed look, ready to tear everyone to shreds. There was a brief click as Giles snapped a photo of him.  
  
"That one's going to be framed," he said, handing Buffy her camera and joining everyone in their explosion of laughter.  
  
A/N: Chapter Two comin' soon! Just send at least five (5) reviews, then you'll see it! Nothing's happened yet, but just wait! 


	2. Chapter Two: At Home and Rescuing Friend...

D/C: Still the same.  
  
Reviewers:  
  
Okay, I know I said five reviews, but I've gotta get this one out there!  
  
Cesare: There just isn't enough about Willow out there is there? Good luck on the story you're working on.  
  
Faith: Funny. I like that. Just keepin' it light until the heavy stuff comes.  
  
Pitti-Sing: Thanx for putting me on your fave stories list. No one I know of has done that besides my "sister-in-law", so cool. Keep on checkin' back!  
  
srbarnett: Thanx for reviewin', although I never said anything negative regarding the escargots. Something just still grosses me out about eating snails. Read this chapter for more references to the snails.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Why didn't anyone tell me I was eating slugs?" Xander asked, rapidly brushing his teeth.  
  
"Snails," Willow corrected, standing outside of the bathroom, waiting for him to come out so she could use it.  
  
"Hurry up, you've been in there for twenty minutes!" she bellowed, pounding on the door.  
  
Finally Xander stepped out with a beige porcelain coffee cup of mouthwash, gargling. Willow went in and did her thing.  
  
Half an hour later, Willow stepped into her bedroom, which she had agreed to share with Xander for the night because he was too drunk to go home and Giles was crashing on the couch. She sighed as she groped in her suitcase for the jeans she was going to put in the wash. She emerged just as Xander was walking in, hair wet and glistening and a towel around his neck. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and jeans, contrary to what he usually wears.  
  
"I had to borrow some of Giles' clothes. This was the only outfit that wasn't either a suit or sweater set," he explained.  
  
Willow giggled and started to the door, when she knocked over a trinket Gwen, a member of the coven, had given her before she left, a three-inch statuette of a sun, and accidentaly kicked it under the bed.  
  
"I must be clumsy tonight," she said, reaching under for it. She didn't emerge right away, noticing something under the bed.  
  
"Will?" Xander asked. Willow came up slowly, holding the statuette and grasping something else. He fell to her level and noticed a silent tear spilling over her cheek.  
  
"What is it?" he asked. Willow started sobbing and looked at her palm. Xander pried her hand open and stared at the item she was holding. A simple ornate cross necklace with Tara's initials etched into the back. He tried to comfort her with no avail.  
  
"Hey, it's been a long time and it's time for you to remember she's in a better place," he said, absently wiping a tear from her cheek. They looked into each other's eyes and drew in for a kiss.  
  
***********  
  
The sunlight streamed through the window, awakening Willow. She reached up to rub her eyes and found something strange about where her arm was. Xander stirred under her arm, turning over on his side to avoid the sunlight. There was another problem: she wasn't wearing the pajamas she usually wore. In fact, she wasn't wearing anything at all under the pale blue sheets. She lifted the sheet up and briefly glanced to her left.  
  
"Well, looks like Xander's comfortable-" she thought, remembering the night before. She bolted up, clutching the thin sheet which was all that was keeping her nakedness concealed. Xander stirred again and slowly woke up, a pounding headache and hangover accompanying him and beckoning him to rise. He sat up and reached down to the floor, looking for something.  
  
"What happened last night?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I've gotta have some asprin, or my head's gonna blow up," he replied.  
  
"Xander, look down," she said, still clutching the sheet.  
  
He did as he was told.  
  
"Aaahhh!"  
  
***********  
  
Xander paced anxiously around the room, now wearing his boxers.  
  
"Okay, refresh my memory?" he asked.  
  
"Do I even have to do this again?" she shot back, looking for her clothes.  
  
"Forget I even asked. Lets just forget about it. We don't have to tell anyone, you know," he said.  
  
"That's more than fine with me," she said, collecting some clean clothes.  
  
***********  
  
They tried to get on with the rest of the day, somehow succeeding. Xander went home to change before he went to work and Willow was going to see the new school with Buffy.  
  
Buffy was convinced something was wrong there, probably caused by the Hellmouth.  
  
"I know we need to check the basement. It's always the basement," she remarked.  
  
Willow followed her down the stairs to the dark room, carrying a flashlight.  
  
"Sure is creepy down here," she admitted.  
  
"Will, it's always dark down here. It's a basement?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
There was a commotion in the next room. Buffy switched off her flashlight and motioned for Willow to do the same. Buffy took a stake from her bag and poised it, ready for action. A familiar blonde head was in the way.  
  
"Spike?" Willow asked.  
  
"Yeah. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Spike's got a new best friend," Buffy remarked.  
  
"Best friend?"  
  
"I didn't tell you he got his soul?"  
  
"No. I thought he had a chip, or maybe that was last time I checked," Willow looked thoughtfully at the blonde in the corner.  
  
"Must... get... it... out..." Spike moaned in the corner, interrupting the friends.  
  
"Hold his arms down," Buffy commanded.  
  
"Wha..." Willow started.  
  
"He's been suicidal for awhile. Just hold his arms down and make sure he doesn't keep hitting himself."  
  
Willow took her advice and held the pale skinned vampire against the wall, preventing him from harming himself. He calmed down after Buffy gave him a few reassuring words when Willow looked down at her feet. There was a small pocket knife on the floor with crimson blood contrasting the shiny steel. Buffy pulled away from Spike and looked at her hands, now moist.  
  
"Will, turn on your flashlight," she commanded.  
  
She did as she was told and pointed the light at Buffy's hands, now moist with Spike's blood.  
  
"I must hurt for hurting the girl," Spike muttered, reaching for the pocket knife. On reflex, Buffy pounced, taking the bloodied knife from the floor.  
  
"He can't exactly stay here. I guess we wait to take him home. First lets clean him up," Buffy motioned to her to open her backpack. Buffy wiped her hands on Spike's drenched shirt and removed it, revealing an ugly fuchia gash above his heart.  
  
Buffy worked for awhile cleaning the cut and bandaging it. While she was doing this, Willow looked around the dark room using Buffy's flashlight. She came across the black leather duster Spike was known for. Other than a gash in the leather, it was in good enough condition for him to wear it instead of the soaked shirt.  
  
They waited for another hour before they left for Buffy's.  
  
  
  
A/N: Five more reviews! You know the drill. 


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